National Paralegal Awards names childcare law specialist as Paralegal of the Year

19 September 2025

The National Paralegal Awards, which celebrates the best of the UK’s paralegal talent, has awarded this year’s Paralegal of the Year award to Sophie Wells, childcare law paralegal at Reading Borough Council.

Leading alternative legal services provider Pinsent Masons Vario scooped the award for National Paralegal Business of the Year.

Now in its seventh year and hosted by CILEX, the awards recognised 14 individuals and three businesses at Birmingham’s Burlington Hotel last night (Thursday 18 September).

Sophie has been working for Reading Borough Council for six years, handling care proceedings including those relating to neglect, emotional harm, sexual abuse, criminal exploitation and mental health issues. She now runs her own caseload and is involved in complex cases before the High Court as well as representing the local authority at case management hearings.

She trains new team members and has spoken at schools and university career events to explain and advocate for the paralegal role. She is currently studying with CILEX and expects to qualify as a CILEX Lawyer by the end of this year.

Pinsent Masons Vario was recognised for its Paralegal Centre of Excellence which was established to professionalise its paralegal career framework and has seen the business develop a more engaged, confident and supported workforce, improving performance and retention.

Vario actively funds the CILEX Professional Qualification and CILEX Chartered Paralegal status.

Other award winners were:

Best Conveyancing/Real Estate Paralegal: Elsa Ghossan, Dentons UK & Middle East
Best Family Law Paralegal: Sophie Payne, Invicta Law
Best Intellectual Property Paralegal: Annemarie Parsons, Murgitroyd
Best Newcomer/Young Practitioner: Sophie Francis, Branch Austin McCormick
Best Probate Research Paralegal: Claire Larkin Miller, Langton Genealogy
Best Will Writing Paralegal: Sharon Baker, Mowll & Mowll
Best In-House Paralegal: JoAnna Emery, atai Life Sciences
Best Public Sector Paralegal: Rachael Newton, Met Office
Community Champion: Sophie Palk, Tozers
Paralegal of the Year – South: Sharon Baker, Mowll & Mowll
Paralegal of the Year – Midlands/North: Billie Spooner, Irwin Mitchell
Paralegal of the Year – Wales: Holly Hale, Watkins & Gunn
Best Paralegal Apprentice: Eleanor Webster, Wilkin Chapman Rollits
Best Law Firm – Paralegal Development: Murgitroyd
Best Legal Professional Supplier: Pro-Gen Research

Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, said: “In every area of the legal sector, paralegals are making a powerful impact. They are the driving force behind so much of the profession’s success, providing access to justice, supporting clients through challenging times and bringing expertise, dedication and innovation to the delivery of legal services.

“The awards present an opportunity to celebrate exceptional paralegals who, like National Paralegal of the Year award winner Sophie Wells and our other finalists, are demonstrating talent, commitment and professionalism. It’s also the moment to celebrate great paralegal employers such as Pinsent Masons Vario, Murgitroyd and Pro-Gen Research who provide workplaces where paralegals thrive, develop and build fantastic careers. They really represent the very best of the legal sector.”

For further information visit: https://www.cilexevents.org.uk/npa-2025-event

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ENDS

For further information, please contact:

Louise Eckersley, Black Letter Communications on 0203 567 1208 or email at [email protected]

Kerry Jack, Black Letter Communications on 07525 756 599 or email at [email protected]

Notes to editors:

CILEX (The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) is one of the three main professional bodies covering the legal profession in England and Wales. The approximately 18,000 -strong membership is made up of CILEX Lawyers, Chartered Legal Executives, paralegals and other legal professionals.

CILEX pioneered the non-university route into law and recently launched the CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ), a new approach to on-the-job training that marries legal knowledge with the practical skills, behaviours and commercial awareness needed by lawyers in the 2020s.

The CPQ is a progressive qualification framework that creates a workforce of specialist legal professionals, providing a career ladder from Paralegal through to Advanced Paralegal and ultimately full qualification as a CILEX Lawyer. CILEX Lawyers can become partners in law firms, coroners, judges or advocates in open court.

CILEX members come from more diverse backgrounds than other parts of the legal profession:

76% of its lawyers are women
16% are from ethnic minority backgrounds
- 8% are Asian or Asian British
- 5% are Black or Black British
- 3% are from a mixed ethnic background
77% attended state schools
63% come from families where neither parent attended university
Only 3% of its members have a parent who is a lawyer.

CILEX members are regulated through an independent body, CILEx Regulation. It is the only regulator covering paralegals.